Travelin' Jack's Dog Blog

Friday, October 31, 2014

YIPPEE.....It's HOWL-O-WEEN! One of my favorite days of the year....cuz us Pups get to dress up like

GOBLINS

And glow in the dark Skeletons......BOO! Did I scare you? Or....if you are from Albuquerque....maybe you should be a BARKING BAD DAWG! Now THAT is a good one if I do bark so myself! BOL! BUT...there's some other important things to say about HOWL-O-WEEN.......like SAFETY tips for your pets!

SO, being the ultimate Pet-Spert.....I checked out some dog-dandy advice for you from my good PAL Thomas Dock He has some really doggone grand advice for all of us....

READ ON my friends........

HALLOWEEN AND OUR PETS...SPOOKY FUN OR SCARY DANGERS?

Posted by Thomas Dock on October 29, 2014 at 10:23pmView Blog

In a little less than 48 hours from now, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of kids will take to their neighborhoods in a wide variety of costumes, all in a quest for miniature chocolate bars, lollipops and other sweet candies. "Trick or Treat" night is an annual celebration rooted in antiquity and a popular holiday among kids and adults alike. I am sure that many of you have incredible costumes planned, exciting parties to attend and, hopefully, just the right level of scariness. Most of us truly enjoy this holiday....but what about our furry companions? How do our dogs and cats feel about ghosts, ghouls and spooky jack - o - lanterns?

There are four main concerns that we have when it comes to Halloween and our pets: First, the potential dangers of what ends up in the trick or treat bags; second, how some Halloween decorations are cause for concern; third, how will your pet react to the legions of witches, vampires and werewolves, and finally, should your pets endure costumes for our enjoyment?

Most everyone is aware that chocolate is a concern for dogs and there will certainly be bagfuls at lots of homes across the country. Chocolate contains the chemical, theobromine, which, in the right amounts can cause heart arrhythmia, hyper-salivation, hyper-activity, seizures and even GI upset. Thankfully, the good news is that most of the chocolate found in a typical Trick or Treater's haul is milk chocolate, which contains much less of the theobromine than baking chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate. Still, it's best to keep your canine friend away from the loot...enough milk chocolate can still cause problems, especially for smaller dogs. If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate, try to find the wrappers and determine what kind and how much, then call your veterinarian!

And, it's not just the chocolate sweets...the sticks from lollipops, foil wrappers and other items can cause an upset stomach or possibly even an obstruction or perforation. With the popularity of parents providing "allergy-safe" treats at homes with teal colored pumpkins, it's important to remember that those stickers, pencils or super bouncy balls may smell similar to candies they have been mixed with and many pets may think of them as just another treat to eat!

The increasing popularity of the Halloween holiday has lead to an explosion of extremely frightening decorations and ways to make your home (or party) as spooky as possible. While most of these are pretty safe, remember that the fake spider webs could be tempting to your feline friends, leading to a linear foreign body and an emergency surgery! Candles inside of jack - o - lanterns or used for decorations can be knocked over by spooked pet, so please place them carefully where fire danger is minimized.

The excitement of the day may be too much for even the best-behaved dog. Constant visitors to the door as well as the spooky sights and sounds may cause some pets to become fearful, These pets could run away and become injured in a variety of ways. Consider allowing your dog to spend Halloween in his own special place inside with special treats, safe and secure from the goblins. Even if you have a fenced yard, Halloween is definitely not a good night for your dog to be outside without supervision and restraint.

Costumes on people can be equally scary to pets. Masks, large hats, and other costume accessories can confuse pets and may even trigger territorial instincts. It is not unusual for pets to act protective or be fearful of people in costumes, even if they normally are very social with that person.

Last, but not least, let's chat about pets and costumes. The plethora of pictures showing dogs dressed up as lions, Great Danes painted to look like Holstein cows and even some cats with angel wings leads many people to believe that our pets LOVE this kind of activity. In reality, some pets are just never going to be comfortable in anything other than their "birthday suit." When considering whether to dress up your pet, think of the following:

Avoid using rubber bands or anything that can possibly constrict circulation or breathing

Nothing on your pet's costume should be edible.

Avoid using any toxic paints or dyes

Don't force your pet ... if he or she fights in any way, leave the costume idea alone!!

So with all that good stuff to RUFF-uminate on, I think I'll just sit back and carve my very own personal BULLDOG Jack-O-Lantern. Hmmmmm...whatda ya think? Does it remind you of any dog in paw-ticular?

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Just about a Dog-Zillion things to do in Albuquerque if ya ask this DAWG!

But first, I think I'll take a little summertime break by the Sunflowers! I've always had a hankerin' to be a "flower dog-child!"

Although a workin' dog can't mosey around the flowers too long. Places to go, people to see...and work to do, so I'll head to my FAV TV show, 2KASA Style to hang out with some of my A Team there for my next Pet-Friendly TV segment. Here I am on the set with Guest Host Howie...from YELP!, Show Host, Chad Brummett....my pawsonal bud, and the gee-orgeous Weather Gal, Kassandra Crimi! LUV 'em all!

And after the TV show, it;s back to work at the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, where I am the dog-ficial AMBASSA-DOG!

Some of my work there includes welcoming all the 2-legged kidlets who come every Wednesday to Stories in the Sky! It's cool and Everyone loves it...including me!

But there are also many dog-fabulous events that take place at the Balloon Museum....like this week's Mini Maker Faire! It was totally RAD with lots of neat inventions and hand designed and made creations. And of course LOTS of cool folks came to visit me there! Well, maybe they came to the Faire....BUT they also took time out of their adventure to sit with me a bit. Here's the too cool Martin family who stopped by my table. Thanks EVERYONE for coming to the Balloon Museum! We LUV our visitors!

But Dog-Duty calls. I've been asked to be a JUDGE at the Top Hat Dog Affair in town...that would be none other than the TOP HAT AND TAILS event at ABQ Uptown. I got to Judge with Miss Allison of radio fame on 99.5....one cool, easy listenin' radio station....but back to my official role.....Dog Judge

And I of course picked the doggone cutest little gal around....look at her strut her stuff! She's a WINNER in my book...and she took home a prize too...thanks to my influence! Luv Ya, sweetie...you are one stylin' cutie patootie pooch! MWAAAAH! (a Jack smack just for you!)

Wow, with all this work, it's time to take a load off my bulldog feet and relax a little....so where does this dog go for a nice time in ABQ? Well, that would be the Patio...er PETio at Church Street Cafe in Old Town. In addition to great food, fabulous outdoor dining, this place is even music to my ears as I listen to Ronaldo strum his guitar and croon those melodies. But WAIT! I'm heading back to my table.....I think I smell BACON! Yep...wouldja look at this! My fantastic server has brought me my very own bacon. Now THAT is what I call Pet-Friendly service! I just LUV Church Street Cafe!

But stardom calls again. Back to work. I got called for a TV commercial. Here I am on the set with a green screen backdrop, pretending to be flying through the skies in a hot air balloon. Miss Kathy and I were actors in the commercial. Our role....to 'try' to catch the key.....and of dog-course to look handsome on the set! We missed the key...dog-nab-it (it was in the script)...but I think I got the handsome dog-actor down good! What do you think?

Of course the Pop-A-Lock guy GOT the key. (HINT-they get the key everytime!) I think that is their motto! It was a grand shoot, and I can' t wait to see it air. Watch for it on KRQE and KASA TV. You might just see me in my latest TV commercial! Thanks Pop-A-Lock for including Travelin' Jack in your commercial! Next time I lock my keys somewhere accidentally, I know who we are callin! That would be Pop-A-Lock Locksmith!

But the weekend rolls around...and here I am at another fantastic dog event....BARK IN THE PARK in Rio Rancho!

They had LOTS of great things going on there for people and their pups.....like here I am getting my Dog-Tattoo. I had to get STARS seeing that I am a star......get it? Aren't I just the cleverest bulldog you ever met? Yup-Pup...that would be me!I got to judge the DOG GAMES at this event. There were great categories like BEST WIGGLEBUTT (I shoulda won that one but since I am the JUDGE, I don't get to win!), BEST TRICK, Best Tail Wag....dog-cetera! It was one fun day for everyone...two and four footed. It was put on by Enchantment Pet Resort...and they did a doggone dandy job of hosting this fab event for dogs! Thanks Enchantment Pet Resort for inviting me to be Judge at your PAWstegious affair for pups!

Time to get back to the Balloon Museum. We've got SO much happening, I just love it! This beautiful Children's Peace Stature is getting ready to have a grand affair this weekend, the 21st...so come on out to check out the action!

And WOAH! what's this? Another TV segment shoot at the Balloon Museum? Here's my buddy Michael Newman, host of the TV show New Mexico True TV. He's doing a relaxed intro shot for the show on our green lawn. Hmmmmm, I can't wait to get my call from them to do a pet-friendly segment! It's just gotta happen, right? In the meantime, I'll just supervise from the sidelines. GOOD JOB MICHAEL! I think you got it spot on! And now, as I take a quick look back at my pawstigious TRADING CARDS, I am reminded that it is almost time for our biggest and grandest hot air balloon show in the world...right here in Albuquerque! The International Balloon Fiesta. And I'm gonna make sure to be there.

And of course, I wouldn't let a party pass this pup by! So we have planned our very own FURRY FRIEND FIESTA DAY for Pups and their people! It's FREE...it's on Sunday October 5th...and it's gonna be one doggone GRAND pup-nic in the park! Stay tuned for more details....BUT make sure to put it on YOUR pup-calendar right now!

You'll wanna be there with all the high-flying adventures, I dog-guarantee! See you soon at the Balloon Museum!

But just to make sure you got ALL 10 REASONS TO VISIT THE LODGE AT SIERRA BLANCA......Here is the actual countdown!

Top 10 Countdown.....REASON #10

"TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PLACE, WOULD'JA? IT'S GORGEOUS!"

A lovely resort in a beautiful setting. AND........

It's PET-FRIENDLY! Check this out! They have a special Treat for their pet guests. Now THAT's what I-Travelin' Jack like!

REASON #9

And the place is lovely inside and out! "PAW-SOME DECOR! YES, JUST PAWSOME-AWESOME!" Inside and out it is pure luxury. Check out this view from the 2nd floor.

REASON #8

And of course their suites are roomy, comfortable and very nicely decorated. "ONE SWEET SUITE! ONLY THE BEST FOR ME!"

REASON #7

Plus their public areas are fun, friendly, and relaxing. Like this Lounge Pub. "FOOTBALL AND A COLD BEER IN THE LOBBY LOUNGE...NOW THAT'S WHAT I-TRAVELIN' JACK AM BARKING ABOUT!"

REASON #6

Why it's just a grrrrrreat place to relax and check out all the good things. "I HEARD THROUGH THE BARK-VINE THERE ARE SOME SPECIAL OFFERS RIGHT NOW!" and sure enough it is TRUE! This brochure shares the deal...and here is a link for YOU to check out the special End-of- Summer Deals at the Lodge at Sierra Blanca. www.thelodgeatsierrablanca-ruidoso.com

REASON #5

"HOW 'BOUT A FIRESIDE SUNSET CHAT ON THE VERANDA?" Every evening they light a fire in the patio firepit. A great way to wind down the day...with views of the mountains to enjoy the cool summer evenings. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh NICE!

REASON #4

Now this is what I'm barkin' about..."A GRRRRRRRRREAT WAY TO START THE DAY!"

Complimentary hot buffet breakfast is included in your room rate! Which makes for an even greater bargain. AND you can enjoy your breakfast inside in the dining area or outside on the patio! I dog-personally will take my tasty chow on the patio where the sun shines down on me!

REASON #3

And there's some great shopping right at the Lodge at Sierra Blanca. They have all those must-have travel items that you forgot...or maybe some gorgeous New Mexico jewelry...or why, what about some Lodge logo merchandise. "HEY...LOOK AT THIS. I FOUND A COFFEE MUG AND CAP THAT MATCHES MY OUTFIT! MINE!"

REASON #2

There are lots of activities right at the Lodge! Like the Links Golf Course right next door...or my pawsonal favorite---an Off-Leash Dog Park directly behind the Lodge! Now that's what I am barking about! "WOOF! HEY...PSSST....YOU---BIG DOG OVER THERE----ARE YOU VISITING THE LODGE AT SIERRA BLANCA TOO?"

REASON #1

"CUZ I SAID SO!" And after all...I AM the Pet Travel Expert! And the Lodge at Sierra Blanca in Ruidoso gets my prestigious 5-PAW RANKING! For many more reasons than these Top Ten Reasons. So do yourself a favor....TAKE A BREAK....and head over to the Lodge....my pawfect idea of a way to wind down the summer!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

AAAAHHHH.....smell that sweet lavender fragrance wafting through the air? I DO! Because it is Lavender Season here in New Mexico. So I'm off to explore the lavender fields of my dreams. And perhaps I'll paw a verse about it too! From a pup's perspective of course!

LAVENDER FIELDS.

By Travelin’ Jack, New Mexico’s Pet Laureate

Today I spied a Lavender Field

Along the Rio Grande

I thought to myself “must check this out”

To see if it’s really so grand!

I wandered amidst the Lavender bushes

So tall, so stately, so Purple.

I sniffed and tasted and pawed a bit

Why I even made up some Lavender wishes!

This lovely Lavender so tender to touch

A pup can hardly resist

I’ve sniffed a dog-zillion Lavender sniffs

Now I’m sprinkled in Lavender dust.

Some folks eat it, some folks smell it,

Some folks plant it and watch it grow.

But from a pup’s perspective the Lavender bush is created

To ponder life as it does merrily go!

(This verse was created for Lavender Fest, 2013) Photos by the magnificent photographer Daryl Custer.

A couple of tips for the Lavender Lusting Wanderer.

There are many fields around the state where lavender is grown and open for public visits. Many allow the dog too! Make sure and call ahead to verify if Fido is welcome in the lavender fields.

Travelin' Jack's Pet Tip of the Week. When you travel in the hot summer weather always make sure to take plenty of water for a thirsty pup. We carry a gallon of water and a bowl in our car all the time. That way we don't worry about whether there is water available at our stopping points.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

OK.....you all know this Travelin' Dog loves a Challenge. And when I heard through the (very reputable) bark-vine that Silver City was talkin' up a storm about ALL the things you can do there.....like "101 Things To Do In Silver City" I thought it was high time to put it to the Travelin' Jack test!

So when I heard Jill say "Let's Hit The Road Jack".....I was ready to go!

We headed to Silver City.....a 5 hour ride, and enroute we ran into a summer storm.......

we drove through the clouds and the rain and back into the sunshine....

where a rainbow welcomed us on the other side of the storn. I'm guessing that means the pot at the end of the rainbow will be filled with SILVER, right? (HA! Another one of my fantastically hilarious bulldog jokes....get it? Pot-o-gold/silver....Silver City! I am just so DOGGONE clever)
But I doggress....back to the story...and to Silver City.

Just as dusk settled in, we pulled into our home-away-from-home, the pet-friendly Bear Mountain Lodge! Now you tell me....is that not an amazing sight to behold after a long ride? Can't wait to check it out in Travelin' Jack style....but right now, think I'll just settle in for a comfy night of rest. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ........................................

AH....morning time at Bear Mountain Lodge! Now is this grand or what? YUP...you can bark that again! But I'm gonna stop right here on my little porch and enjoy a cup o' joe! Know what would go really really good with that?

Yup....you guessed it. Dog biscuit treats JUST for me. SEE.....no dog doubt about it....this is ONE pet friendly Lodge! Thanks BEAR MOUNTAIN LODGE! This is the PAWfect way to start the day. But they don't just cater to the dogs....they take care of the people guests in a doggone grand way too.

We met up over breakfast on their veranda (where I can go too!), with Mr. George of the Silver City Arts & Cultural District....our man-about-town to see if in fact there are 101 THINGS TO DO IN SILVER CITY! Wer'e puttin' Mr. George to the Travelin' Jack test! So here we go. I've got this dandy card

and I've been highligting the things I want to check out! So we've got a rockin' head start with #s 24 Eat New Mexican food. That tasty breakfast had green chile scrambled eggs.....double green yum!

And #45 Stay at a lodge or B&B. We're doing both at Bear Mountain Lodge.

But now it's time to check out Silver City...and see how many more we can discover along the way! Ready? Let's go!

#30 Buy Fresh at the Farmers' Market! A dog-friendly open air Farmers' Market....now THAT is pretty doggone cool! I see other dogs here too, cruisin' the market. And there's live music.......

Tasty fresh produce.....hand made baskets and wares.....

and I even got to visit with lots of friendly Silver City folks! Oh and that would be #20 Chat with a local! A great little market and dog-dandy way to start the day...but let's #16 Stroll historic old town.and # 17 Go Gallery Hopping. Now THIS is what I call a well marked Art Tour.....and I'm not even the one doin' the marking (if you get my drift! HA! ) Think I'll stroll down this road to see if there are any Pet Friendly Art Galleries!And that would be YES! We dog-scovered "Space-A studio Art Gallery"...and they welcomed me, Travelin' Jack right in! LOTS of cool stuff......much of it is repurposed articles. (although I would call it Re-PUPosed! Lots of cool stuff to choose from...somethin' here for everyone!

I like this one. Can you wrap it up for me please? With a slurpy kiss on top? OKAY....got it! And I think that takes care of #60 SHOP and we can add # 47 Buy Art.

And let me just bark this. There's LOTS of art and cool galleries in Silver City......and some of them give you major Vibrations like Vibrations Gallery, which has some art, some music and some framing....BUT the very bestest thing at Vibrations is the new friends I made there like Miss Rebecca (hint to all you traveling dogs--she gives dog treats)....but even better is little Teddy...see him behind me. He is the BEST Dog-Host! He shared his Mom and his treats with me. WOOF! to you Teddy.....keep up that Facebooking too! I LUV that you are a fellow dog-FaceBooker! We'll meet up again I dog-guraantee!

But you know...those biscuits can make a pooch thirsty....and the shopping along the historic downtown, so when I got invited into the local YARN shop for a cold drink of water.....I didn't pass it up! Instead, I dipped right into that bucket amidst the color and the yarn and all these sheepy things in this shop....and you'll never believe the name of the store either. It's YADA YADA YARN.....cool name for a cool place and a cool drink of water. The owner is TOP PAW in my dog-pinion! You gotta check this place out.

But now that my thirst is quenched.......I'm continuing my quest for that bad boy that is spose'd to be hidin' around these here parts.....he goes by the name "THE KID"....at least that's what all the history books say! So we're heading through downtown....and what do I see but another shop I just GOTTA check out. It's the THREE DOG COFFEE HOUSE! And that would bring me to #32.....Linger at a coffee house.........so I did just that! And wouldn't ya know it....even THEY had a bowl of water waiting for me (and for other pooches too). This is DOG-DEFINITELY a pet-friendly little town! I'm LUVin' my visit to Silver City. But gotta keep tracking...in search of that "KID" named Billy! And as we meandered through Silver City, we turn a corner and WHOA! What is this?

One colorful wall mural...and there we have another one on the list...#5 Enjoy over 40 murals. Well I found one anyway!

And as I am hiking through Silver City #22 HIKE LIKE CRAZY........I take a bit of a break to #99 Slow Down. Maybe I should #8 Pan for Gold. This is a grrrrreat spot to slow down....or maybe I can catch a bird in these trees. There's one! Oh and that's #18 Spot 339 species of birds. One down....338 to go! Back on the trail, I also happened to spy a sign that let's me know that I am near.......

the DOG PARK! And that would be #12 Go to the Dog Park! Thanks Silver City for having a dog park dedicated for all us pooches....locals and visitors! I'm on a roll now....we're really hitting a lot of the great things to do on the 101 Things to Do in Silver City! Wonder what else I can find? How about the beginning of the Continental Divide Trail! Now THAT is one grand discovery if I do bark so myself! And that would be #4 Hike the Continental Divide. WoW! Am I good or what? They don't call me Travelin' Jack for nuttin.,.ya know! But guess where this sign is located? #46 Relax at the Big Ditch....which is right by # 101. I'm still looking for the kid...maybe here at #101 I can Get the Details at the Silver City Visitor Center. I'll just step inside here to get the insider's scoop. The good folks there know ALL the facts about Silver City......and just as I enter the air conditioned AND pet-friendly visitor center........WOAH!THERE HE IS! The Kid himself! I found him! And I've got him tied up on the end of my leash...he ain't gettin' away---this bad boy of the Old West! My job is done here...but I did hear that the Kid's Cabin # 91 Check out "Billy's" Cabin is around here somewhere close....I'm on the search again......

And here it is! Think I'll put on my sheriff outfit....just in case I see some wild west action out here by that kid's cabin!And just in case yer thinkin' about followin' in the footsteps of that famous BAD BOY....I'd recommend NOT! You'll have to deal with the NEW Sheriff in town, ya hear?

OK.......time's a-flittin'...and my tummy's a-growlin' so I'm gonna kill this outfit and look for a cool place to take a break....or #61 PICNIC at Little Walnut.

This is a great spot...to eat.....to #100 Slow Down Some more....and maybe even #90 Witness Wildlife. Gotta be some animals around here somewhere....and I'm feelin' more and more like I'm a...... #27 ROCKHOUND! But leave me alone.....I'm on the search for #21 Find Fossils!

Wheweeeeee....this has been one busy day! I'm whooped for sure! It's time to head back to my very fine home-away-from-home, Bear Mountain Lodge #19 where I can Enjoy wonderful hotels......

Here we are BACK at the stately and LUV-a-lee Bear Mountain Lodge!

I'm callin' it quits for now. I've found most all the 101 Things to Do In Silver City! But not all.....so I'll be back very soon with MORE adventures down Silver City way! In the meantime.....tune in to 2KASAStyle - TV on Wednesday. I'll be tellin' you even more about just how pet-friendly (AND PEOPLE FRIENDLY TOO) Silver City is! They love visitors! For now....I'm out!

About Me

I'm a five year young, male 'olde english bulldogge'. I am fawn colored, with a white blaze on my face, a strong and sturdy body, short stocky legs, white chest...and fabulous 'guy-liner' eyes! I weigh 75 pounds, and it is pure muscle! I have lots of energy and love to ride sidekick in the car, watching the scenery go by. I especially like to watch for horses, cows, dogs, birds, bicyclists etc along the route. Do you like to travel too?